Woodpile connector

ABSTRACT

A woodpile connector has a tubular body defined by an open-end lower portion and an open-end upper portion. The upper portion and the lower portion are fixedly connected, at their free ends, to a separating plate, which forms a transverse flange extending outwardly from an exterior periphery of the connector body. The open ends of the connector body have beveled edges to facilitate engagement of the connector portions with abutting sections of the woodpile. By aligning the connector portions in relation to the pile sections, while forcing the connector portions into the pile sections, alignment of the pile sections is achieved even when the pile sections do not have evenly cut connecting surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a pile system, and more particularly toa connector for engaging ends of pile segments when the pile is driveninto the ground.

[0002] Many construction projects involve the use of wooden piles thatare designed to support the structure above ground. The use of woodpilesis widespread in the areas where the soil conditions do not providesufficient structural support to a building or other structure. Suchareas can be found in sandy soils or in clay soils with large moisturecontent. Builders in the South of the United States are well familiarwith the weak soil conditions, and the use of woodpiles in supportstructures is well known. One of the cities that is practically built onpiles is New Orleans, La., where the clay conditions of the soil requirethe use of piles even in a small house construction.

[0003] In the past, the piles were made of cypress wood that wasespecially resistant to rot and termites. Eventually, the supplies oflong timber were exhausted and modern builders have to utilize 30-footpiles as opposed to 60-foot piles that were available even a centuryago. As a result, when a particularly heavy structure needs to beerected, the pile segments have to be connected end-to-end and driveninto the ground.

[0004] The problem with using smaller length piles is that the pilesegments can easily deviate from the desired strictly verticalorientation, which will result in weakening of the pile system. Theweakening of the pile system can also be created when the ends of thepiles not being cut strictly level, which will tend to place the uppersegment of the pile at an angle in a relation to a vertical axis of thelower pile segment.

[0005] Various devices have been used to prevent weakening of the pilesystem. One of them is the use of a cylindrical sleeve that fits overthe area of connection between the two pile segments. Such sleeves areconventionally squeezed around the abutting ends of the pile segmentsand tend to “grip” the pile segments as they are driven into the soil.However, this system is not perfect and deviations from the strictlyvertical orientation of the pile have been noted.

[0006] The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacksassociated with the prior art and provision of a woodpile connector thatwould help retain the pile segments in a vertical orientation regardlessof the cut level of the connecting segments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide awoodpile connector that stabilizes the pile segments for retaining themin a vertical orientation as they are driven into the soil.

[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide awoodpile connector that retains the pile segments in a verticalorientation even when the ends of the pile are not cut at a straightangle.

[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide awoodpile connector that is easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture.

[0010] This and other objects of the present invention are achievedthrough a provision of a connector for use with porous piles, such aswoodpiles. The connector has a cylindrical body intersected by aseparating plate in its mid section. The plate extends outwardly fromthe cylindrical body and forms a transverse annular flange encirclingthe exterior of the connector body.

[0011] The separating plate divides the connector into an upper portionand a lower portion, which is a mirror image of the upper portion. Theconnector portions have opposite open ends. The connector wall thatdefines the open edges of the connector body is cut at a bevel and formsa sharpened edge to facilitate embedding of the connector ends intoabutting pile segments. The soft fibrous matter of the woodpile becomessomewhat compressed between the interior wall of the connector and helpsin preventing splitting of wood in the area of connection.

[0012] A pair of bleed slots is formed in the pile connector between theseparating plate and the edge of the pile connector portions that areattached to the plate. The bleed slots allow air and moisture to escapethe connector portions when the connector is embedded into the woodsegments. The slots may be formed at diametrically opposite locationsabout the circumference of the connector body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like partsare designated by like numerals, and wherein FIG. 1 is a schematic viewshowing the wood pile connector of the present invention engaging twosegments of a pile.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pile connector inaccordance with the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taking along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIEMENT

[0016] Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral 10 designatesthe woodpile connector in accordance with the present invention. As canbe seen in the drawing, the pile connector 10 has a generallycylindrical body open at a first upper portion 12 and at a second lowerportion 14. A continuous wall 16 of the pile connector 10 has an innersurface 18 and an outer surface 20. A separating plate 22 intersects thewall 16 at mid-section and extends outwardly from the outer surface 20of the wall 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The separating plate therebydefines the bottom of the upper portion 12 and a top of the lowerportion 14 of the connector 10.

[0017] The separating plate 22 forms an annular flange 24 extendingoutwardly from the exterior wall 20. The flange 22 is welded to thecylindrical wall 16 about substantially entire circumference of thewall, except for two locations. The lower portion 14 of the connector 10has a fluid release space, or bleed slot 26, and the upper portion 12has a fluid release space, or bleed slot 28. Preferably, the bleed slots26 and 28 are created at diametrically opposite positions in relation tothe center of the cylindrical wall 16, although it is not absolutelynecessary.

[0018] The upper edge of the wall 16 is provided with a bevel cut edge30, and a lower edge of the wall 16 is provided with a bevel cut edge32. The annular edges 30 and 32 create sharp points 34 and 36,respectively. The sharpened points 34 and 36 assist in driving the pileconnector 10 into the wooden log, while forcing the wood fibers toslightly compress, at least to the width of the wall 16 between theinterior wall 18 of the pile connector 10.

[0019] When a pile needs to be driven into the soil, the pile is cutcross-wise to a desired length. FIG. 1 shows two such pile segments. Abottom pile segment 40 has a top end 42 which may or may not be cutstraight. In FIG. 1, the bottom pile 40 is cut at about a 10-degreeangle away from the vertical.

[0020] A second pile segment, in this case top pile segment 44 is alsocut crosswise to create an abutting end 46. The end 46 may or may not becut at a straight angle. FIG. 1 shows that the end 46 has about a15-degree angle. It is with such type of problems that the device 10 ofthe present invention is designed to deal.

[0021] In operation, the bottom pile 40 is driven into the soil usingconventional pile driving equipment. The pile connector 10 is thenpositioned at approximately central location on the top end 42. Theoperator needs to make sure that the connector 10 is oriented verticallyregardless of the angle that is exhibited by the top surface of the end42. Downward force is then applied to the pile 40 and the connector 10,forcing the connector portion 14 downwardly. The lower portion 14becomes deeply embedded into the end 42 of the bottom pile segment 40with the help of the sharpened annular edge 36.

[0022] The wooden fibers, being relatively soft and capable of beingcompressed by the metal connector 10 tend to be “squeezed” or compressedbetween the interior wall 18 of the connector 10. This insures that theconnector 10 is firmly embedded into the bottom pile 40.

[0023] The annular flange 24 rests on the highest point 50 of the cutend 42. Regardless of whether the rest of the plate 22 contacts the cutsurface 42, the connector 10 will stay oriented vertically, as long asthe driving is conducted properly. If air or water were trapped insidethe lower portion 14 while the connector was driven into the pile 40,the air and water, if present, are released through the bleed hole 26.

[0024] Next, the operator positions the top pile segment 44 on top ofthe connector 10 and forces the top pile segment 44 onto the sharpenededge 34 on the upper portion 12. The wall 16 embeds itself within thepile segment 44, compressing slightly the pile fibers between theconfines of the interior wall 18 of the connector 10, thereby insuringfirm engagement of the connector 10 with the top pile segment 44.

[0025] The lowest point 52 of the cut surface 46 rests on the lip orflange 24, thereby keeping the pile 44 in alignment with the bottom pile40. The rest of the surface 46, even if not contacting the plate aboutthe entire surface of the cut end 46, will remain substantially verticaland in proper alignment with the bottom pile 40. Any trapped air orfluid will seep out through the bleed hole 28.

[0026] This procedure can be followed until the desired number of pileshave been driven into the soil to create a pile structure suitable forsupporting the foundation of a house or building. It is possible thatlower ends of some piles will become split where the connector 10 isdriven into the wooden log. However, due to the slight compression ofthe wood body into the interior of the pile connector 10, the piles willstay connected and in the proper alignment. While the subsequentsections of pile are driven into the ground, the connector 10 willbecome more firmly embedded into the lower pile sections, facilitatingincrease in the load carrying capacity of the overall pile system.

[0027] The annular lip of flange 24 increases the outside diameter ofthe pile connector 10 and consequently, allows it to withstand greaterdriving forces and carry greater loads. By using the pile connector 10,the operator can straighten not so perfectly cut surfaces of the pilesegments and achieve a straight alignment between the two pile sections.The connector 10 causes the piles to almost “automatically” align whilethey are driven into the soil by providing the limit to the depth, towhich the pile can be driven in relation to the connector 10 and to thesubsequent pile segments.

[0028] During experimental tests of the pile connector 10, the pileconnector 10 was constructed with two 12-inch long portions welded tothe plate 22. The pile connector had a 6.625-inch O.D. The wallthickness of the connector was 0.125 inch. The plate 22 was made{fraction (3/16)}″ thick, and 4″ of the wall 16 length were driven intothe pile sections. The bottom pile was treated wood and had a straightcut. The top pile section had a 15-degree bevel. The piles were testedfor compression which could withstand up to 50,000 pounds in loads withdeflection of 0.08 inches.

[0029] The piles were also tested for bending. The rate of loading wasapproximately 3,000 pounds per minute. The flexural test demonstratedthat the pile sections could withstand up to about 9 PL/4 (ft/kips).Different pile sections were also tested for pull out (uplift) readingsand when the pile diameters (top/bottom) were used in the range of 7.2inches/10.4 inches, the ultimate load in pounds was 9,500. Of course,with different diameter wood sections and different size connectors,different readings would be achieved.

[0030] The connector 10 of the present invention can be used for drivingwoodpiles regardless of whether the cut of the abutting sections wasstraight or somewhat bevel. The tests show that 15 or more degrees bevelwas still acceptable with a proper alignment of the piles.

[0031] The pile connector 10 is preferably made of a strong material,such as steel that can withstand loads associated with driving of thepiling into the ground. It can also be manufactured from a materialhaving corrosion resisting properties. The connector 10 can be made oftubular material having circular or rectangular cross-section. Thelength and thickness of the wall 16 will depend in the diameter of thelogs forming the pile system.

[0032] Many changes and modifications can be made in the design of thepresent invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I,therefore, pray that my rights to the present invention be limited onlyby the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A connector for engaging sections of a wood piling,comprising: an upper portion having a tubular wall with an open upperend; a lower portion having a tubular wall with an open lower end, thelower portion being fixedly connected to the upper portion; and aseparating plate fixedly attached to free ends of said upper portion andsaid lower portion, said separating plate extending outwardly fromexterior walls of the upper portion and the lower portion and forming aflange on the exterior walls of the upper portion and the lower portion.2. The device of claim 1, wherein said separating plate extendstransversely to the exterior walls of the upper portion and the lowerportion.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein a first air and fluid releaseslot is formed between a part of a lower end of said upper portion andsaid separating plate.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein a second airand fluid release slot is formed between a part of an upper end of saidlower portion and said separating plate.
 5. The device of claim 4,wherein said upper portion and said lower portion are configured ascylindrical bodies, and wherein said first and said second air and fluidrelease slots are located at diametrically opposite locations inrelation to each other.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said openupper end of the upper portion is defined by a continuous wall having abevel edge to facilitate engagement of the upper portion with a woodpiling section.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said open lower end ofthe lower portion is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge tofacilitate engagement of the lower portion with a section of woodpiling.
 8. A method of connecting adjacent sections of wood piling,comprising the steps of: providing a pile connector having an upperportion with an open upper end and a lower portion having a lower openend, said upper portion and said lower portion being fixedly connectedto a transverse plate extending between the upper portion and the lowerportion, said plate forming a transverse flange in an area of connectionbetween the upper portion and the lower portion; forcing the lowerportion into a bottom section of the wood piling until the transverseflange contacts a top surface of the bottom section; forcing the upperportion into a top section of the wood piling until the transverseflange contacts a bottom surface of the top section, thereby aligningsaid bottom section and said top section of the wood piling, while thewood piling is being driven into the ground.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein said open upper end of the upper portion of the pile connectoris defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge.
 10. The method ofclaim 8, wherein said open lower end of the lower portion of the pileconnector is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge.
 11. Themethod of claim 8, wherein said plate is fixedly attached to said upperportion and said lower portion about substantially entire periphery ofsaid upper portion and said lower portion.
 12. The method of claim 11,further comprising a step of forming an air and fluid release slotbetween said upper portion and said plate.
 13. The method of claim 11,further comprising a step of forming an air and fluid release slotbetween said lower portion and said plate.
 14. The method of claim 11,wherein said pile connector has a tubular body with an exterior surface,and wherein said transverse flange extends outwardly from said exteriorsurface.
 15. A connector for engaging sections of a wood piling,comprising: a connector body having an exterior surface, said connectorbody comprising an upper portion having a tubular wall with an openupper end and a lower portion having a tubular wall with an open lowerend, the lower portion being fixedly connected to the upper portion; anda separating plate fixedly attached to a bottom edge of said upperportion and to a top edge of said lower portion, said separating plateextending outwardly from exterior walls of the upper portion and thelower portion and forming a transverse flange on the exterior surface ofsaid connector body.
 16. The device of claim 15, wherein said open upperend of the upper portion is defined by a continuous wall having a beveledge to facilitate engagement of the upper portion with a wood pilingsection.
 17. The device of claim 15, wherein said open lower end of thelower portion is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge tofacilitate engagement of the lower portion with a section of woodpiling.
 18. The device of claim 15, wherein a first air and fluidrelease slot is formed between a part of the bottom edge of said upperportion and said separating plate.
 19. The device of claim 18, wherein asecond air and fluid release slot is formed between the top edge of saidlower portion and said separating plate.